Unlike traditional vehicles, electric vehicles do not need a gasoline or propane fueling station to refill energy. Most electric vehicles can be charged anywhere with an electrical outlet. However, charging stations are still needed for faster charging or refilling energy for long distance road trips.
The considerations for placing electric charging stations are different from those of traditional gasoline fueling stations. First, the charging process may take longer than a gasoline refueling process. Even the fastest charging station may need over an hour to fully charge a vehicle. Second, the efficiency of a charging station is highly related to its utilization rate and not its fuel supply, since a charging station will always be ready to provide electricity as long as the power system it is connected to is supplying power. Third, since an electric charging station will unlikely explode, it can be located in crowded areas so as to increase its utilization rate.